Cement block grooving apparatus



Sept. 26, 1939. IA. s. VINYARD, SR 2,174,065

CEMENT BLOCK GROOVINGvAPPARATUS Filed Sept. 29, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 sept. 26, 1939] A. S. VINYARD, SR

CEMENT BLOCK GROOVING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 29, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to the carving or cutting of cement blocks for forming certain faces thereof with a desired finish and pertains particularly to a machine for carrying out this operation. f

The present invention has for its primary object to provide a machine or apparatus for grooving faces of cement blocks for the purpose of giving to such surfaces the appearance of bricks laid one upon the other in the usual order whereby when such blocks are placed in position in the construction of a wall, the result will be a cement block wall having the appearance of a brick wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cement block groovingmachine designed for carrying out the above described object, wherein a novel means is employed for operating cutter members and for shifting the cutter members in the course of operation so that grooves may be formed across the face of a cement or stone body.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the character described, 215 a novel rotary cutter supporting and driving means together with a novel means for facilitating the individual removal of the cutters whereby the same may be removed for repair or replacement without disturbing the other cut- 39 ters of the machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a machine of the character described having rotary cutter supporting shafts, a novel means for supporting bearings for suchvshafts whereby such bearings may be easily and quickly removed or placed in position in the machine and whereby desired adjustments may be made in connection with the positions of the bearings so that the shafts can be accurately spaced one from another.

A still further object of the invention is to provide Ya machine having a battery of rotary cutter supporting shafts together With means for turning said shafts, in which the battery of d shafts may be readily raised or lowered for the purpose of moving the rotating cutters across the face of a body in which the cutters are forming grooves.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration ofthe following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark'no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in Vthe'appended claims.

kIn the drawings:

Fig 1 is a View in front elevation of the machine embodying the present invention, parts thereof being broken away.`

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. v

Fig.V 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. l.

Fig. 'l is a view in perspective of a cement block showing two faces thereof in which grooves have been formed by the machine embodying the present invention to represent bricks.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral l designates a table or platform upon which the grooving machine embodying the present machine is secured and upon which is placed the cement block or stone block which is to be grooved by the machine The block grooving machine comprises a main frame consisting of the upper and lower angle beams 2 and 3, respectively, the lower angle beam being positioned over a corner of the platform as shown in Fig. 2, to extend longitudinally thereof while the upper beam is disposed with one flange parallel with the horizontal flange of the lower beam and the other flange extending downwardly in the plane of the vertical flange of the lower beam. These upper and lower beams 2 and 3 are connectedby posts 4, the lower ends of the posts passing through the table i and having the spaced upper and lower nuts 5 and 6 between which the table andthe horizontal fiange of the lower beam are secured while the upper ends of the posts carry heads 'l engaging the horizontal flange of the top beam and securing nuts 8 which are threaded against the underside of the top beam flange to secure the latter firmly to the post.

In addition to the posts extending through the lower beam and the table I, there may be employed bolts 9 for further securing the beam to the table.

Arranged between one end post 4 and the adjacent intermediate post is a vertically shiftable cutting unit indicated as a whole by the numeral I0, this unit comprising a frame structure II which is made up of a horizontal top bar portion I2 and a U-frame I3 having the long yoke portion I4 and the vertical end portions I5. The U-frame I3 is vertically arranged beneath the bar I2 and the upper ends of the side portions I5 are laterally turned to provide the attaching ears I6 which are secured to the bar I2, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the frame I3 and the bar I2 together form a horizontally arranged elongated rectangle.

Each of the vertical side portions of the U- frame I3 has secured longitudinally thereof the guide sleeve I1 through which a post 4 passes and one edge of each vertical portion I5 is provided with a series of recesses I8 for the purpose hereinafter described.

Arranged in spaced parallel relation with each portion I5 of the U-frame is a vertical bar I9, the upper and lower ends of which are turned as indicatedat- 28- and 2l and secured respectively against the inner facesV of the bars I2 and I4, and each of thesev vertical bars has a series of edge recesses 22 Vwhich alineV horizontally with the recesses I8 of the adjacent vertical bars I5. There is thus formed betweenthe bars I5 and I9 an area 23 in which shaft supporting bearings hereinafter referred to-are secured.

At` the central part of the unit I there is a vertically disposed channel bar 24, the side flanges of which are securedto-V the inner faces.l of the bars I2 and I4 by the laterally turned ends 25 and 26, andthese-flanges 24! are provided with edge recesses 21 which aline with recesses inthe laterally disposedbars I.5*and I9;

'Ihe numeral 28 designates rotary cutter carrying shafts, there being three of such shafts here shown. These shafts extend longitudinally of therectangular cutter unit frame and lie in the horizontally alined notches 22'and 21 of the vertical bars of the unit'. Each of the shafts is provided with screw threads 29 which,although here shown as,Y being formed at thej ends and center of the shafts; may be formed through-the entire length of each shaft.

Each shaft passes through the central unit of a ball bearing or anti-friction member30 and eachof the anti-friction members atthe'ends of the shaft positions in an area between the two vertically spaced upright bars I5 and I9,.the bearing centrally of the end's of the shafts being positioned betweenr the flanges 24 of the vertical beam 24.

Each shaft is clamped tov the central or rotating portion of the bearing member through which it passes by means of a pair of`sleeves 3| which are disposed upon opposite sides of the bearing member as shown in Fig. 4; and .are pressed thereagainstby the nuts 32' which are threaded upon the shaft against the outerend of' the sleeve. The outer part of each bearing member is secured against movement. This holding of the router part of the bearing at the end ofeach shaft 28 is accomplished by drawing the members I5 and I 9 together by means of the transverse bolts 33'iwhile similar means is employed for grippingV the outer portions of the bearing members between the flanges 24* off the channel beam 24, the bolts connecting these flanges being indicated by the'numeral r34.r` Thus it will be seen that by loosening the bolts^33 and 34, the shafts can be shiftedslightly inwardly or outwardly in the recesses. of the beams through which they passV so that a proper verticalalinement of the shafts may be obtained and after the'bolts have been tightened, the outer parts of the bearing members will be held securely, thus permitting only the central parts thereof to turn with the shafts 28.

The top bar I2 of the frame II has connected therewith the lifting screw 35, the lower end of the screw being swivelly coupled with the bar I2 as indicated at 36, while the screw passes upwardly through a fixed nut 31 carried by the horizontal flange of the upper beam 2 and has a crank 38 at its upper end by which the turning of the screw is accomplished to slide the cutting unit I vertically on the posts 4 to which it is connected by the sleeves I1.

Each shaft has one or more rotary cutters supported thereon, such cutters being indicated by the numeral 39. Each cutter consists of a hub 48' which is in threaded engagement with the shaft and radially extending blades 4I. By loosening, a suitable set screw securing each hub to the shaft on which it is supported, the cutter may be turned so as to shift it longitudinally of the shaft into a desired position and after such position is reached, it may be -Xed by tightening the screw in-Y againstthe shaft.

At one end of the cutting unit I0, each shaft, outsideof'the frame, carries a pulley 43. These pulleys have their'hubs threaded onto the shafts and are secured by set screws 44 so that they may be arranged in` any desired position, the pulleyshere'beingv shown with the upper and lower ones in a vertical planeand the intermediate one offset so that by-V` the use of suitable belts, the cutting blade carrying shafts may all be coupled with a driving source such as `an electric motor 45; shown in Fig. 2, which is supported upon the arms 46which are secured to the top bar I2 and extend laterally therefrom to be raised and lowered therewith; While'any suitable means may be employed forsecu'ring themotor, there is here shown'a transverse base plate 41 extending across the-outer ends of the arms 46 andV having bolt holes 48 for the reception of securing bolts 49' which mayv be' passed through the usual bolt recesses in thebase of the motor 45. Bolts extend across the supporting arms 45 and thus the motormay be shifted on the arms by slightly loosening the bolts, this action releasing the arms from between the cross plate 41 and the base of the motor.

The shaft of the motor 45 may be provided with; a? pair of pulleys' over one of which may extend a belt 58 which is passed around the vertically alined pulleys 43 'While the other pulley of the motor shaft may have the smaller belt I connecting it with the single pulley which is offset from the other two, thus making it possible to drive all three shafts by the one motor.

The unit I 8' is designed for cutting vertical grooves in the face of a cement block or stone block. The grooves extending perpendicularly to the verticalgrooves may be formed by a separate cutter means which is shown at the left-hand side of the machine in Fig. 1. This horizontal groove cutting means comprises a vertical bracket which is indicated generally by the numeral 52 and consists of an intermediate vertical portion 53 and the -upper and lower laterally extending terminal arms 54 and 55. The arms 54 and 55 extend .across the beams 2 and` 3, respectively, and are pivotally secured tofl these beams by bolts 58. These arms extend a substantial distance beyond the front of the beams to which they are pivotally attached, as shown in Fig. 5, and each arm has-,an edgerecess 51 cut therein for the passage ofthe vertical shaft `58. The upper end of the shaft passes through an anti-friction bearing member 59 which is held by clamping members 60 while the lower end of the shaft is extended into the central part of a similar anti-friction bearing 6I and is held to the lower arm 55 by the clamping members 62. The upper end of the shaft 58 extends above the bearing member 59 and has secured thereto the pulley wheel 63.

The shaft 58 is screw threaded as indicated at 64, and carries two or more rotary cutters each of which is generally designated by the numeral and consists of a hub 66 threaded on the shaft and radial cutter blades 6l. By adjusting the hub on the shaft 58, the blades may be properly spaced to cut in a cement or stone block spaced parallel grooves forming the horizontal grooves or spaces between rows of brick.

Secured to the upper and lower beams 2 and 3 adjacent the bracket 52 are the two vertical motor supporting beams 68. The connection of these beams with the horizontal beams 2 and 3 is made by means of nuts 69 passing through slots l in the vertical flanges of the upper and lower beams and through suitable openings in the beams E8, thereby providing a means for shifting the beams 68 toward or away from the bracket 52. The motor 'll is secured to the upper ends of the beams 58 and between the same as shown, and has a pulley f2 secured to its armature shaft and connected by a belt 13 with the pulley 63.

By reason of the pivotal connection between the arms 54 and 55 of the bracket 52, this bracket may be oscillated slightly and by this means tightening of the belt 13 accomplished when necessary, and an adjustment of the same character may also be made by shifting the vertical beams 58 toward or away from the bracket 52 after loosening the bolts 59.

While the structure or body I has been referred to as a table or platform, this may, if found desirable, be replaced by aA pair of beams extending perpendicularly to the lower angle beam 3 with the latter connected thereto. However, whether the structure l be in the form of a solid platform, as shown, or as two or more individual members, there is disposed over it a movable table 18 having secured to its underside longitudinally extending brackets 'i9 in the form of angle irons. Each of these brackets 19 has extending therethrough in parallel relation with the underside of the movable table, the laterally turned screw threaded upper end portion 80 of a vertically disposed supporting leg 8l which is screw threaded, as indicated at 82. These legs 8| extend through the supporting structure l, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and are vertically adjustably held by the upper and lower nuts 83 which are threaded on the leg and grip the body I therebetween.

In the performance of the block cutting or grooving operation, the block is placed upon the movable table 18 after the table has been adjusted to the proper elevation with respect to the frame l0 and the structure 52.

The block is then shifted horizontally along the table across the shaft 58 upon which the cutters 6l are carried so that the latter cutters will form horizontal grooves or cuts therein, as shown in Fig. 5. After these horizontal grooves have been formed, the block is then shifted on the table to a position in front of the frame Il and the cutters 4l carried thereby, and moved in toward the cutters until the latter penetrate the face of the block to the desired depth, whereupon the frame ll with the supported cutters, may be moved vertically through the manipulation of the screw 35.

In Fig. '7, there is illustrated a block 'I4 which may be formed of cast cement, in which two faces have been grooved so that these faces will simulate three courses of bricks. The procedure| followed informing the block with these grooved faces consists in mounting the block upon the movable table 18 as previously described and While the cutters 39 are rotating, shifting the unit It! by means of the screw 35 and handle 38, from a loW position with respect to the block to a high position so that the cutting ngers will move vertically across the face of Y the block presented thereto. After this operation has been completed, which forms the vertical recesses 76, the block will be shifted on the movable table in-to position for engagement by the cutters 65 and, while these cutters are turning, the block will be moved lengthwise of the table so that the cutters will form the horizontal grooves 15 therein which, in crossing the vertical grooves, will cut the face of the block so as tomake it represent a number of bricks 1l placed one upon the other in the usual fashion.

In the formation of the block, the grooved faces may be suitably colored as by the application of pigment thereto or by the application of colored sand or any other suitable substance and the block may then be subjected to the cutting operation described.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for scoring intersecting perpendicular lines in a body of material, comprising a frame structure, a cutting unit carried by the frame structure and consisting of a vertically disposed rotary shaft, cutters carried by the shaft, a second cutter unit supported by said frame structure, said second unit consisting of a series of rotary spaced parallel shafts arranged perpendioularly to said vertical shaft, cutter elements carried upon said series of shafts and arranged in different vertical planes, means for eifecting the vertical movement of said series of shafts as a group whereby the last cutters may each cut said body between the cuts made by the first cutters, and means for rotating all of said shafts.

2. In a machine for scoring the face of a block of material, a frame structure, a table supporting the structure and upon` which the material may be positioned, a bracket disposed upon said frame structure, a vertical shaft rotatably supported by the bracket, cutter units carried by said shaft, an elongated rectangular frame supported for vertical movement upon said frame structure, means for vertically shifting said rectangular frame, a plurality of horizon-tally extending vertically spaced series of cutter units supported in said rectangular frame for rotation on axes perpendicular to said vertical shaft, and means for simultaneously rotating all of said series of cutter units and said vertical shaft.

3. A machine of the character described, comprising a frame structure consisting of upper and lower parallel beams and vertical supporting and spacing members connecting the beams', an elongated rectangular frame disposed between said beams and between a pair of said vertical spacing members, guides carried by said rectangular frame through which the adjacent spacing members extend, means connecting the upper beam with said rectangular frame facilitating vertical movement of the latter frame, a series of shafts disposed in vertically spaced parallel relation, in

said rectangular frame, means for rotating said shafts, and cutter units carried upon said shafts to be rotated thereby against the face of a body disposed before the shafts, said cutter units being in spaced vertical planes and rotatable with the shafts.

4. A machine of the character described, comprising a frame structure consisting of upper and lower horizontal beams and vertical standards connecting and maintaining the beams in spaced relation, a frame disposed between said beams and between a pair of said standards, guide means carried by the frame through which the standards pass, a shaft extending lengthwise of said frame, bearing units supporting said shaft in the frame, a rotary cutter member secured to said shaft to be turned thereby, means for rotating the shaft, and vertical screw threadably coupled with the upper beam for facilitating the vertical movement of the frame upon the said adjacent standards whereby the rotating cutter may be moved across the face of a body adjacent thereto.

5. A machine of the character described, comprising a frame structure consisting of upper and lower parallel beams and vertical connecting posts between the beams, a pair of bracket arms arranged in vertically spaced relation and each secured to a beam, a shaft extending between said arms, a cutter member carried by said shaft, a frame disposed lengthwise between said beams and between a pair of posts, guides carried by said frame and having said posts Aextending therethrough whereby vertical sliding movement of the frame on the posts may be effected, said frame including at each end a pair of vertically arranged spaced beams, an anti-friction unit disposed between each pair of vertically spaced beams, means for clamping the vertically spaced beams against the units therebetween, each of said units having a central freely rotatable portion, a shaft extending longitudinally of said frame and passing through the central portions of said anti-friction units, a cutter carried by each shaft, means for raising and lowering said frame on said posts, and means for imparting rotary motion to said shafts.

6. A machine of the character described, comprising a frame structure consisting of upper and lower parallel beams and vertical connecting posts between the beams, a pair of bracket arms arranged in vertically spaced relation and each secured to a beam, a shaft extending between said arms, a cutter member carried by said shaft, a frame disposed lengthwise between said beams and between a pair of posts, guides carried by said frame and having said posts extending therethrough whereby vertical sliding movement of the frame on the posts may be effected, said frame including at each end a pair of vertically arranged spacedbeams, an anti-friction unit disposed between each pair of vertically spaced beams, means for clamping the vertically spaced beams against the units therebetween, each of said units having a central freely rotatable portion, a shaft extending longitudinally of said frame and passing through the central portions of said anti-friction units, a cutter carried by each shaft, means for raising and lowering said frame on said posts, a motor supported upon the frame structure adjacent said first shaft, means for establishing a driving belt connection between the rst shaft and the motor, said bracket arms being oscillatable for tightening said driving connection, and means for supporting a power unit upon said frame and coupling the same with the frame supported shaft.

7. A mechanism for cutting vertical grooves in a body of material, comprising a frame structure including a pair of vertically arranged spaced guide posts, a frame disposed within said frame structure between said guide posts, guide means carried by the frame and encircling the posts, said frame being formed at opposite ends to provide two vertically extending spaced members, means for drawing said spaced members toward one another, said spaced members having edge recesses formed therein, a shaft extending longitudinally through said frame and disposed in said recesses, an anti-friction unit consisting of inner and outer concentric members disposed in encircling relation with each end of said shaft, each anti-friction unit being disposed between a pair of vertical members and having the outer portion clamped between the same, a cutter carried by said shaft, means connecting the frame with the frame structure facilitating the vertical movement of the frame, and means for imparting continuous rotary motion to the shaft while the frame is being vertically moved.

8. In a machine of the character described, including a rotary shaft and means for turning the same, means for supporting an end of the shaft comprising a pair of spaced parallel members, coupling means between the members facilitating drawing the same toward one another, a bearing unit consisting of inner and outer concentric portions, the shaft passing through the inner portion and said unit being disposed between said parallel members with the shaft extending transversely of the same, said parallel members being drawn together in clamping relation with the outer portion of the anti-friction unit, and sleeve members threaded on the shaft at opposite sides of the central portion of said unit and clamping the same therebetween to effect operative engagement between the shaft and the central portion of the unit.

ARTHUR S. VINYARD, SR. 

